Open: Thursday, 12 March 2026, 1818 MST Temperature: 85°F

Session: 2117 Conditions: Clear

Equipment:
12" f/8 LX600 w/StarLock
2" 24mm UWA eyepiece

Camera:
D850 DSLR

1823 MST: LX600 ON, StarLock OFF, High Precision OFF.

Viewed Venus, 102X

1832 MST: Sunset.

Prepared the D850 DSLR camera for imaging.

1837 MST: Relaxed on the observatory patio bench.

1846 MST: Back in the observatory for a quick look at Jupiter, 102X. Three Galilean Moons were visible. Then returned to the bench to watch the stars come out.

1930 MST: Back in the observatory. Mounted the D850 camera at prime focus, focused on the star Sirius, and locked the primary mirror.

1937 MST: Wi-Fi ON.

Used SkySafari 7 Pro on the iPhone to GOTO Eridanus (globular cluster; Mag. +14.7), low in the Tucson skyglow in the southwest.

1940 MST: StarLock ON.

Eridanus (globular cluster), StarLock autoguided, 5 minutes, ISO 6400. Lots of post-processing to show the faint globular cluster.

2000 MST: Dome OFF (onto the PZT).

I then tried to image Koposov 2 (globular cluster, Mag. +17.6), but I think there was a pointing error. Will try again on another session.

2018 MST: Dome ON.

Using SkySafari on the phone I slewed to Leo I (faint dwarf galaxy). The galaxy appears about 20' from the bright star Regulus, as seen in these StarLock autoguided, 2 minutes, ISO 6400, images.

2035 MST: StarLock OFF, Wi-Fi OFF.

Viewed Leo I (dwarf galaxy), 102X.

2046 MST: LX600 OFF.

2054 MST: Took a Sky Quality reading and reported the result to Globe at Night.

Close: Thursday, 12 March 2026, 2057 MST Temperature: 66°F

Session Length: 2h 39m Conditions: Clear, SQM 20.90

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